Friction between a cylinder walls and the associated piston rings is substantial and detracts from the energy conversion efficiency of an internal combustion engine.
For reasons of pollution and possible greenhouse effect, it is of major importance to increase the energy conversion efficiency of the internal combustion engine so as to increase the amount of mechanical work that can be provided per unit of fuel. A higher energy conversion efficiency means reduced fuel consumption and reduced cost of operating the engine.
Accordingly, it is a major purpose of this invention to provide a technique for increasing the energy conversion efficiency of an internal combustion engine by reducing the mechanical energy spent on overcoming the friction between cylinder walls and the associated piston rings.
It is a related purpose of this invention to provide this reduction at a cost which provides a net economic gain in engine operation.
It is another purpose of this invention to achieve the above purposes in a device that can be easily retrofitted into existing vehicles and other machinery without making changes to the internal combustion engine with which it is used.
A further result of achieving the above purposes is to reduce the wear on the cylinder walls and piston rings thereby extending the operating life of the piston rings and cylinder walls.
The problem of reducing the friction between cylinder walls and associated piston rings has been tackled by developing specially designed friction-reducing coating materials and methods for covering an outer surface of the piston rings and cylinder walls with these materials, developing modified formulas for motor oil, additives to motor oil and to fuel claiming to reduce the friction, and designing new modifications and models of piston rings and cylinder walls themselves.